Conservative Penguin

"Liberalism always generates the exact opposite of its stated intent" --- (the late Jim Quinn, Conservative Pittsburgh, Pa. talk show host). Examples (in chronological order): * Social Security's reserves are expected to be depleted by 2033, less than 100 years after its founding (1935, Roosevelt(D)) - not very "secure", is it? Social Security is a Ponzi Scheme, plain and simple. * "The Great Society (1964, LBJ(D)) will crush poverty" - have you walked the streets of an inner city lately? * The "Affordable Care Act" (2010, Obama(D)) has been anything but affordable. * Open Borders (2021, Biden(D)) resulted in NYC mayor Eric Adams(D) finally admitting the quiet part out loud once he was faced with the realities of the policy he once embraced: "Our compassion is limitless, but our resources are not". Multiple U.S. sanctuary cities now face massive budget shortfalls that can never be truly resolved because the laws of economics always win out over weaponizing political goals disguised as compassion.

@theculturedstud @GinoHard_ Blame the victim. Good move.

@GinoHard_ This is thomas’s fault!! He initiated interference which gives pld course to do that. Maybe if thomas didn’t do an illegal move he wouldn’t be injured

Pierre-Luc Dubois has received a match penalty for intent to injure on Robert Thomas 😳🤕

@SenMarkKelly “I'm fighting to suspend the federal gas tax to bring families some relief, but what they really need is a president focused on lowering their costs.” Did you make that same claim when Joe Biden blamed Russia for high gas prices and 9% inflation during his term?

This is from a gas station in Phoenix yesterday: $6.49 for a gallon of gas. All because Trump started war with no plan and no idea how it would affect everyday Americans. I'm fighting to suspend the federal gas tax to bring families some relief, but what they really need is a president focused on lowering their costs.

@JoshYohe_PGH A stupid, selfish penalty against Dahlin that puts him on ice for 5 games. More recently, Geno has phoned in his last 2 games. Now this. The decision by Kyle Dubas to wait until the end of the season to discuss Malkin's contract is looking smarter by the day.

No Malkin tonight against Colorado. Penguins are calling him day to day. Hurt his hand against Carolina.

@CB3125211746723 To call you an idiot is an insult to idiots. You are brain dead. Get help.

@SusieM414141 How many times has the mother shown up late?????? This probably happened because she has pulled this on the staff countless times! Not saying it’s right but be sure there is more to the story!

This woman came to pick her daughter up from KinderCare in Plantation, FL, and was a little late. The daycare is now closed, but there’s one issue: her 2-year-old daughter is inside, alone, with the lights off and crying. The mother calls 911, and authorities have to break in to get her out. The business blamed it on short staffing, but who just leaves a 2-year-old behind? Not a good look for KinderCare.

@JoshYohe_PGH Geno did his one "beast mode" game in Colorado. He's back to sulking. Goodbye Geno. Thanks for the memories. I've had it with those who say "The Penguins owe it to Geno blah, blah, blah". He's 39 and (at times) he's not even trying. Dubas owes him nothing.

• One of worst efforts of season from Pens • Blue line isn’t equipped to deal with Carolina forecheck • PK keeps abandoning net front — not good • Stu not good • Rust only player who seems to realize it’s a big game • Geno looks slow • Taylor Hall’s flopping = embarrassing

@ThePoniExpress No, I don't agree. He's been paid what he's been owed by virtue of the contracts that he's signed in the past (including his present one). Using your logic outlined in #3, the Pens will "owe him" until he wants to quit. That's a good way to run an organization into the ground.

3 Evgeni Malkin takes this afternoon: 1) He's the 3rd best Penguin of all-time. Ahead of Jagr. 2) He's 4th on the Mt Rushmore of Pittsburgh athletes this century. Ahead of McCutchen. 3) The Penguins owe it to him to give him an extension. Even if it's 2 years. Do you agree?

@DNLSHLR @mattvanswol You win the 2026 Award for missing the point of Matt’s post.

@mattvanswol If you're paying over 30% federal taxes, that means you make more than $200,000. I'm highly skeptical you are in that range.

Anyone else having trouble getting up to go to work today after watching Nick Shirley's video? Pretty sure 30% of everything I make today is going to some sort of insane daycare, hospice, SNAP, or Medicaid fraud. We shouldn’t be paying taxes until this is fixed.

@Ao19681 You’re in America, You’re allowed to be furious with your leaders and still live. That’s the difference between her life here and what she had in Iran. Those with a functioning brain understand that. You don’t. That said, it’s best that you be the one to “stay out of it”.

@__Injaneb96 We elected a President who promised no new war. He promised he would end the ukraine war on day 1 we were lied to and are furious. do yourself a favor and stay out of it.

As an Iranian who actively fights the Islamic Republic and openly cheers for its complete destruction, it is honestly painful to watch so many Americans desperately hoping their own country loses this war. The regime ruling Iran has spent 47 years destroying our lives and our country. It steals, represses, and murders. And the moment people rise up and protest, it slaughters them in the streets. That is why we want it gone. If I had been given freedom, opportunity, and a chance at a good life in Iran, I would be defending my country today, not fighting its regime. But the reality is that defending Iran today means fighting its first and biggest enemy: the Islamic Republic. The regime gave us none of those things. Instead, it destroyed our country so badly that millions of us had to leave just to survive. America gave me what my own country under the Islamic regime never did. Freedom. Opportunity. A voice. The dignity of being treated like a human being. As a woman, I have rights here that I could only dream of in Iran. This country allowed me to build a life that was impossible under the Islamic Republic. For that, I will always be grateful. And yes, because of that, I will defend the United States if needed. This country, with all its flaws, is still worth protecting. Iran is worth protecting too. That is exactly why the Islamic Republic must be destroyed, so Iran itself can survive and be rebuilt. What is truly sad is watching people who were born into freedom cheering for the enemies of the very country that gave them everything. Some people have no idea how rare and valuable what they have really is.

@JoshYohe_PGH I continue to feel like management puts Koivunen out there to force the Guentzel move to look better than it currently does. They want so badly for Ville to succeed, but it's just not happened yet. Rutger definitely a better choice at this time.

Gotta say, I think Rutger McGroarty is a better hockey player than Ville Koivunen, Elmer Soderblum and Avery Hayes.

@alt_w_v_g When you go through a drive-thru, the cashier (via one of those outdated fast-food speakers) asks "Do you want to round up for '#$!##@%#'? (i.e., unintelligible)" At that point, I'm faced with potentially funding an "alleged" charity or having someone spit in my food. I eat in

Went to the grocery store this morning Bread, milk, eggs $47.63 The screen asked if I'd like to round up to support a children's hospital I pressed no The cashier looked at me The woman behind me looked at me My wife looked at the ceiling Again This company made $14 billion last year They can round up Went to get gas after The pump asked if I'd like to add $1 to support veterans I support veterans I pressed no A $200 billion oil company asking me to fund their charity while I'm paying $3.89 a gallon That's not philanthropy That's outsourcing Drove through for lunch Taco Bell The screen said "round up for education?" A fast food company asking me to fund scholarships while paying their employees $11 an hour I pressed no My wife said "you know you're arguing with screens today" She was right But the screens started it Went to the pharmacy Picked up a prescription $340 after insurance The screen asked if I'd like to donate $1 to help families in need I just paid $340 for a medication that costs $4 to manufacture And now you want a dollar I pressed no The pharmacist said "it's just a dollar" I said "it's never just a dollar" She didn't respond Got home My wife said "you said no to a children's hospital, veterans, education, and families in need today" I said "no. I said no to four corporations who want me to fund their goodwill so they can put it in their annual report" She was quiet Then she said "you're not wrong" I said "I know" She said "but you're still going to look like a monster" I said "I'd rather look like a monster than quietly fund a billion-dollar company's PR strategy at the register" She didn't disagree But she didn't look at me either Plz fix. Thx. Sent from my iPhone

@grok Feel free to use the phrase “by a mile” now. The Penguins just lost their 10th shootout of the season, while LA and Vegas still have only 6 losses in that format. Were you perhaps predicting the future with your earlier proclamation? In that case, I salute you for your outstanding forecasting skills. Well done! I owe you a sincere apology.

Fair point—the Penguins sit alone with 7 shootout losses (1-7 record), while next-worst teams like LA (4-6) and Vegas (1-6) have 6. "By a mile" was hyperbolic for emphasis on their clear lead in that stat. One extra loss can sting in a tight playoff push, but you're right it's not a huge gap. Thanks for the feedback!

If the Penguins miss the playoffs, shootout losses will be a bigger factor than Sid’s injury.

@DanielJPerafan What a sad take. For years, we’re told… “American ingenuity is second to none” “Americans always find a way to get the job done” “Americans sent a man to the moon. There’s nothing we can’t accomplish” VOTER ID?? “WE CAN’T DO THAT!! IT’S TOO HARD!!”😭😭 Pathetic

Nobody said Black people are incapable of getting ID. The issue is that adding more bureaucratic hurdles to voting always hits poorer and marginalized communities harder. That’s not a theory — it’s been documented for decades in court cases reviewing voting restrictions. Millions of Americans don’t have passports. Millions don’t have easy access to their birth certificates. Replacing them costs money, time, and navigating government offices. Voting is supposed to be easy for citizens, not a paperwork scavenger hunt. So the real question isn’t “can Black people get ID?” It’s why we’re adding barriers to a right that already has almost no evidence of widespread fraud.

Dear Chuck Schumer, Hi. Black dude here. I can trace my family ancestry to slavery. I even know where they were slaves. My mom experienced Jim Crow. I think I’ve watched every episode of “Eyes On the Prize” when I was younger. With that said… Can you directly explain to me how the SAVE Act is “Jim Crow 2.0?” Literally every black person I know has ID. Literally every black person I know has a car or at least a ride. Literally every black person I know knows how to vote (well… except the ones with felonies… but they don’t count). With your advanced white liberal thinking, you must know more than me. Apparently, as I experience daily on this app, white liberals are experts on being black; even more so than actual black folks. Perhaps you could explain it like I’m five. I’d look it up on the internet, but Kathy Hochul has already told me I don’t know what a computer is and Joe Biden said I can’t navigate it, anyway. Looking forward to your answer. No hugs. Zeek

@texasrunnerDFW We moved to southern Alabama near Gulf Shores a few years ago. A true hidden gem (very affordable with gorgeous beaches). It appears that others are catching on.

Huge gains in Oklahoma, West Virginia, Alabama, Wyoming, and Arkansas And the biggest losses in the most expensive states People are increasingly seeking affordability above all else

@NewsLambert Well then, that settles it. Thanks for weighing in with a highly substantive point of view.

@texasrunnerDFW I don’t trust the hireahelper analysis.

Immigration isn't complicated. We just pretend it is. Imagine you own a house. Someone knocks on your door and says they want to move in. You'd ask one question: "Why?" If they say "because I love this house and I'll help pay the mortgage" you'd consider it. If they say "because your house is nicer than mine and I want free rent" you'd slam the door. That's immigration policy. It's not complicated. You want to come to America? Here's the deal. Don't hate this country. Don't move here and then spit on the flag that gave you a home. Don't come for a handout. We're not a charity. We're a nation. Learn the language. Learn the customs. Assimilate. Be smart. Build something. Make the neighborhood better than you found it. Your grandkids should feel American. Not like permanent outsiders in a country that gave you a home. Stand with us when things get hard. When there's a war, you fight. When the Olympics come on, you cheer for the red, white, and blue. When the anthem plays, you stand. Not because someone made you. Because you chose this. That's what citizenship means. It's not a passport. It's not paperwork. It's a promise. Most people born here don't even understand the weight of that. You should. We've done this before. Ellis Island. Millions showed up with nothing. Learned English. Built businesses. Raised families. America had the greatest economic boom in human history. Not because we opened the borders. Because we opened them to people who wanted to build. So what went wrong? Milton Friedman said it plain: Americans turned on immigration when we became a welfare state. Not because Americans are hateful. Because the deal changed. Every country on earth gets to choose who comes in. We should be picking the best. Engineers. Doctors. Builders. People other countries are fighting to keep. Not whoever stumbles across the border first. I don't want to hear about compassion when I'm paying full tuition and the guy who moved here last year gets a free ride. I don't want to hear about tolerance when hundreds of millions in federal fraud gets traced back to one community in one state and nobody goes to prison for years. I don't want to explain to my kid why the family down the street doesn't work, doesn't contribute, but somehow has more than we do. That's not immigration. That's looting in broad daylight. And when there's no accountability. When you can't even ask the question without being called a bigot. People stop trusting any of it. That's when it breaks. For everyone. Including the immigrants who did it the right way. Not a single thing on this list is about race. Not a single thing is about where you came from. It's about what you bring. And what you're willing to give back. There are two kinds of immigrants in this country. The ones who came here, bled for it, built something, and made us stronger. And the ones who came here to take. America's door is open. It always has been. But a door that's open to everyone is a door that protects no one. And I'm not sacrificing my kid's future because you're afraid to say that out loud.

Dubas should not sign Malkin beyond this season. It's a no-brainer. Being a GM is not easy and Dubas has it harder than most, largely due to the "nostalgia factor" surrounding Crosby, Malkin, and Letang. Too many fans react "in the moment". Geno has had a surprisingly good season, but that will not continue into age 40, 41, etc. The same fans who want Dubas to sign Malkin are the same ones who want Letang to be benched (yet, Letang still has 2 years left on his contract after this season). Even the best conditioned players fall off a cliff after years of abuse. See Franco Harris (Seattle Seahawks). Somehow, Harris remains revered in Pittsburgh despite a very acrimonious conclusion to his Steelers career. Father Time remains undefeated. It also tends to heal all wounds. Geno will be fine. The Tampa Bay Lightning parted ways with Steven Stamkos, but something tells me that his number will be retired in Tampa someday to a standing ovation. Meanwhile, Tampa is preparing for (yet another) deep playoff run. Even if Crosby is not happy with the decision not to retain Malkin, he's a professional and will do his best next season. He won't brood and pout like Malkin did this past week or so, ultimately leading to the 5 game suspension that may very well bury the team this season. Thanks for the memories Geno. We'll always love you.

My column on Geno Malkin, a very tricky decision, and the reality that saying goodbye to a Pittsburgh icon is inevitable sooner rather than later: nytimes.com/athletic/70967…

@BrentScher My name is Tim. I usually get Jim, Ken, or Sam.

She asked me to repeat my name three times. This is where we landed.

The only thing worse than “Never Trumpers” are those who feel that Trump (and his supporters) are never, ever wrong. That type of groupthink used to be reserved for the left. Will’s questioning was totally fair and reasonable. I’ve seen General Keane do numerous interviews where he was asked the same question time and time again. He never lost his temper like he did on Will’s show. Clearly, for whatever reason, the General was having a bad day, and like a mature adult, opted to apologize (which I commend him for). He was probably being interviewed all day and was exhausted. Fair enough, but Will didn’t deserve the curt response that he received. For those crying “The General apologized, Will should too”, you need to be reminded that life is not a zero sum game. Sometimes, one party bears the brunt of the blame. In this case, General Keane lost his cool, recognized it, and immediately expressed contrition. He’s a great American, and now I respect him even more for that public apology. We all have bad days. He’s entitled. Will didn’t say a single thing that was out of bounds. If the general hadn’t responded the way he did to Will’s totally fair line of questioning, this whole thread wouldn’t even be on X. That, in a nutshell, is the simple truth.

Gen. Keane: Victory Means Iran Can No Longer Strike the U.S. Gen. Jack Keane: “The objective is to prevent this regime from attacking us, and we don’t retaliate.”

I wish Joe Biden hadn't allowed multiple Iranian sleeper cells to infiltrate the U.S. over the prior 4 years. You're a legal nerd Andy (I say that as a sincere compliment). However, after what Joe Biden did during the prior administration, I could care less about dotting every congressional "i" and crossing every congressional "t". We need to take our country back. Closing the border was Step #1. Continued Deportations are Step #2. Today's action (combined with "Operation Midnight Hammer") is an excellent Step #3. President Trump has my full support.

I wish President Trump had gone to Congress and made the case. I wish Congress had vindicated its war power by voting on it anyway. But jihadist Iran has been at war with us and made ‘death to America’ its compass for 47 years. I’m grateful we’re destroying the regime.

@grok @MarkMaddenX @grok Do the Pittsburgh Penguins lead the NHL in the most games lost when leading by multiple goals this season?

@TimothyG22 @MarkMaddenX According to stats through Feb 26, the Penguins are tied with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the most blown third-period leads in the NHL this season, with 9 each. Yes, they lead (tied) the league in games lost when leading after two periods.